


Greyscale

by lightly



Category: Super Junior
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-29
Updated: 2011-12-29
Packaged: 2017-10-28 11:07:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/307227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightly/pseuds/lightly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the not too distant future  and the Government has developed a program to suppress people's personalities, turning them into virtual robots for fun and profit.  Youngwoon is an ordinary, law abiding citizen, until one day the most important thing in the world is taken away from him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Greyscale

Youngwoon took a deep drag on his cigarette thinking that it would calm him down. It didn’t. His palms were still sweaty, his hands still shook, and his heart still beat like a jack hammer in his chest— so loud that he thought the people around him would be able to hear it. He dropped his unfinished smoke onto the ground and smashed it into the loose gravel with the tip of his shoe. He turned and walked a little away from the group huddled over and around the hood of a car, they were pouring over schematics and maps, going over the plan just one more time and then again, just one more time. _Just one more time_. For Youngwoon his part of the plan was relatively simple. So simple it was more like a goal than a plan.

 _Get in, get Jungsu, get out._

He repeated the words over and over and over, like a mantra. Over and over and over until those words were seared into his brain.

 _Get in, get Jungsu, get out._

It was the others in the group that had the hard part to do; Youngwoon was only _technically_ part of the distraction. His hands still shook and he wanted to light another cigarette just so he would have something to do with them. But he had to ration the ones he had left, plus he promised Jungsu he would quit, promised him a life time ago, or so it felt like—now was as good a time as any. Or not.

Youngwoon stuffed his hands into the pockets of his too expensive trousers and shivered against an imaginary chill. The evening air was too hot, too humid, too crowded with atmospheric shit that Youngwoon didn’t understand. All he understood was that world had gone to hell and he had gone along for the ride. He squinted up at the darkening sky, what should have been an impressive view of cityscape and sky was partially bisected by the domineering presence of the Tower. It loomed over the sprawling city, a behemoth among the lesser sky scrapers, it jutted upwards like it was trying to punch through the sky—a dark and forbidding building. Jungsu was somewhere in there. The thought of what might be going on inside made Youngwoon’s gut clench.

 _Get in, get Jungsu, get out._

Youngwoon kicked at the ground in anger and frustration and it made him feel better for all of half a minute. Then Heechul called out at him not to scuff his shoes.

“You need to look presentable and professional.”

Yeah, right. He tugged at the collar of the monkey suit he’d been forced into. It wasn’t that tight, he knew that, he was only imagining that it was strangling him. With no other distractions to postpone the inevitable, Youngwoon slouched his way back to the others. Heechul glared at him in disapproval as he dragged his feet in the dirt. It was a slight and petty act of defiance; Youngwoon was going to clean himself up. There was no way he was going to jeopardize this mission even a little, not when they were so close, not when he was so close to getting Jungsu back.

 _Get in, get Jungsu, get out._

Youngwoon walked over to where Kyuhyun stood a little apart from the others but still close enough to peer over at the complicated set of plans laid out on the hood of the ostentatious car Heechul had borrowed for the occasion. Youngwoon had no idea where Heechul had gotten it from and he thought it wise not to ask. Kyuhyun was scratching at the back of his neck, worrying at the tattoo that Youngwoon had inked on to him yesterday morning. Youngwoon reached over and pushed Kyuhyun’s hand away.

“Stop that.” He snapped and Kyuhyun flinched. “Sorry,” Youngwoon said, he tried to soften his tone but he was too tense to really speak gently. “Let me look at it.”

Kyuhyun stiffened a little as Youngwoon brushed his hair away from the back of his neck. Kid hadn’t had his hair cut since he’d gotten out of the Tower; Youngwoon supposed that it was some kind of mark of freedom—Kyuhyun never talked about it. His hair had grown long and it now fell in a gentle curl, just hitting his shoulders. Kyuhyun’s hair was soft, it reminded Youngwoon so much of Jungsu’s that it hurt to look at it, to touch it. Kyuhyun’s new tattoo had just started to scab over; the skin around the five digit number was red and slightly swollen. Still, underneath the inflammation it was possible to just about make out the pale scars from where Youngwoon had removed the last serial number. Putting that mark back on Kyuhyun had killed Youngwoon a little bit, but he couldn’t let it show. Right now the kid needed support not sympathy.

“It doesn’t look too bad.” Youngwoon said. “It will heal quickly and then I’ll remove it. You won’t have to have one again.”

Kyuhyun swallowed hard and nodded. He hadn’t spoken a word since, yesterday, since Youngwoon had finished the tattoo, he was obviously terrified of going back into that place—even for a little while. Youngwoon had no idea what it was like inside the Tower, he had never been inside before. He’d not been considered pretty enough to be pressed into becoming some rich bastard’s ‘sex bot’ and he’d never been rich enough to see the scenery on the privileged side of things, the way he would be today. Youngwoon looked at the fear on Kyuhyun’s face and he tried not to think about how he wouldn’t even be here with these people if Jungsu hadn’t been taken.

Youngwoon felt a flash of anger boil up inside him but he tried to damp it down, hold it in. He needed to be calm now, focused.

“Hold on, Jungsu.” He muttered under his breath. “I’m coming.”

It had been over a year and Youngwoon’s biggest fear was that there wouldn’t be much left of Jungsu to save.

“Let’s go over it one more time.” Youngwoon heard Heechul say and he rolled his eyes. But this time he thought he’d better pay attention, there was a thrill of tension in the air and Youngwoon knew that soon it would be go time. “OK, Youngwoon,” Heechul continued. “You’re attending the auction.”

Yes, where he would be bidding on Jungsu. Youngwoon’s heart fluttered in his chest. Oh god, _Jungsu_. Money wasn’t going to be a problem because if the rest of the plan went, to well, went to plan then Youngwoon won’t be paying. All he had to do was bluff long enough to get in to the holding area where, as the winning bidder, it would be his right to check over the merchandise. Youngwoon’s hand moved to rest on the semi automatic pistol concealed under his shirt. By the time they got to that point all hell would have broken loose and he would likely have to shoot his way out. Him and Kibum. Kibum, who would be acting as his personal assistant stroke bodyguard. Youngwoon looked over to where Kibum stood with Donghae. Kibum stood with his feet apart, his arms folded over his chest; it looked like he was standing sentry over Donghae, a vicious guard dog. Truthfully, Youngwoon would have preferred to have Siwon come with him, Youngwoon couldn’t really find it in himself to completely trust Kibum—as much as he trusted anyone in this little rag tag revolution. They were all criminals after all. So was he now, he supposed. Siwon had to go with Jongwoon to play at being Kyuhyun’s ‘Guards’ as he was processed back into ‘sex bot’ service. They would make sure that the kid wasn’t in that place long enough for them to cut his hair.

So, Youngwoon had Kibum or no one and if Kibum hadn’t been so against the idea of Donghae acting as Youngwoon’s driver then Youngwoon would have gone with option two and worked on his own. Seeing Kibum’s reaction to the prospect of Donghae being in the line of fire had been the first time Youngwoon had seen Kibum show any emotion at all. Youngwoon had been half convinced that Kibum was a bot himself.

“Siwon, you and Jongwoon will take Kyuhyun through the process point at the back of the Tower, here.” Heechul pointed to a spot on the map. Youngwoon didn’t bother to look over; he already knew all the key places by heart. “Last we heard from Sungmin he was being taken to the rehabilitation centre...”

Youngwoon noted that Heechul didn’t mention that they had last heard from Sungmin a week ago and this plan Heechul had cooked up was largely based on information that that was over a week old.

“...and providing that Sungmin hasn’t been compromised he will still be there...”

Compromised, yes, a polite way of saying dead.

“...He’ll be there with Ryeowook.”

Jongwoon curled a small hand into a fist and slammed it down on the roof of the car with a snarl. Kyuhyun flinched again.

“Yah!” Heechul spat out. “Don’t dent the car, I know you’re angry—we all are. But you need to keep your shit together until this is done.”

Jongwoon mumbled something that could have sounded like an apology and he moved back and away from the car. Youngwoon saw that there was a spot of blood on the car where Jongwoon had hit it. ‘Yeah,’ Youngwoon thought ‘I know just how you feel’.

“The intel we got from Sungmin before he was taken to rehab,” Heechul continued, dismissing Jongwoon with a flick of his hand. “Is that the main process server is on the same floor as the rehabilitation centre.” Heechul’s voice faltered a little. “That’s the main target. Siwon, you’ll take Kyuhyun there once you are passed processing. Knock down any guards that get in your way. There shouldn’t be many, not today. What security the Tower has will be concentrated on tonight’s main event, the auction.” Heechul nodded at Jongwoon who now stood by Kibum and Donghae. “Jongwoon, you’ll stand watch while Kyuhyun does his thing and as soon as the computer has been disabled you go and get Sungmin and Ryeowook and any other bots in the centre. Siwon, do you have the flash drive?”

Siwon nodded and patted the breast pocket of his uniform. The flash drive contained a computer virus that Kibum had been working on for years before Youngwoon joined the group. And in that time Kibum hadn’t gotten farther than the butt crack of nowhere with it, not until Youngwoon had found Kyuhyun when he and Siwon raided a Tower transport convoy. He’d been crated up and shipped out with a pile of other ‘treasures’ bound for some rich assholes vault. Now, not only did Kibum have a ‘sex bot’ to test his virus on but once Kyuhyun’s brains were unscrambled it turned out that Kyuhyun was pretty good with computers himself. Between the two of them they wrote up a program that, once uploaded to the Tower’s main process server, would unscramble all the scrambled brains.

When Youngwoon had first come crawling to Heechul, looking for help, Heechul had tried to explain to him what the Government—the fucking government—was doing to people’s heads to override their personality and turn them into virtual robots for fun and profit. But Youngwoon didn’t understand, didn’t have the head for it. He just wanted Jungsu back.

“What about the rest of them?” Donghae spoke up suddenly. “The other bots, ones not in the rehab centre or up for auction. We can’t leave them behind.”

“We’ll get as many out as we can.” Heechul said. “But Hae-ah, you have to accept that we won’t be able to save everyone.” Heechul’s voice cracked and faded. His breath hitched and he turned away but not before Youngwoon saw the tear that slipped down his cheek. The tear that Heechul tried to wipe way, tried to hide. Siwon stepped over and placed a careful hand on Heechul’s shoulder, he squeezed lightly, a soft, genuine touch. Heechul relaxed, leaning towards Siwon slightly. He took in a deep breath, held it and then let it out again almost painfully slowly. “Donghae,” Heechul continued, he tried to go on as if he hadn’t just come close to losing it but he couldn’t quite quash the tremor in his voice. “You’ll drive Youngwoon and Kibum to the front entrance. Once they have gone inside you’ll drive round to the parking lot of this building.” Once again Heechul pointed to the map. “It’s out of sight of the Tower’s security cameras. I will be parked there with the van; we’ll wait until we get the signal from Kibum. Kibum, have you...”

Kibum held up his cell phone before Heechul could finish what he was saying. Heechul just nodded and offered up a grim smile. Youngwoon had a phone too, but his was just a prop—it didn’t actually work. It didn’t work like the guns strapped to Siwon and Jongwoon’s belts didn’t work. Youngwoon only had the only working firearm and only because he and Kibum were the only ones with the know how and the resolve to use them. Kibum was armed too, armed to the goddamn teeth. Youngwoon had lost count of the number of blades Kibum had stashed away when he was suiting up this morning.

“This is it.” Heechul said, his voice steadier now. “Is everyone ready?”

There were nods all round, Youngwoon nodded along with them. His hands itched to reach for the packet of cigarettes in his pocket.

It was go time.

 

||

 

It was cool inside the car. The first thing Youngwoon had done once Donghae had started the engine was to crank up the air conditioning. He turned it up high and let the chilled air blast at him until the gooseflesh on his arms was caused by cold and not fear. Then he turned it down low and settled into his seat and tried to relax himself into character, tried to take on the persona of a calm, collected and heartless businessman out to buy himself a little pleasure. Scary thing was that it was almost too easy to get into the role.

Kibum sat up front with Donghae which suited Youngwoon just fine. The little privacy partition that could separate driver and passenger was up, cutting Youngwoon off from whatever conversation the two in front would be having—and that suited Youngwoon just fine as well. He didn’t really have a burning desire to hear it knowing that it would only be another variation of their familiar refrain.

 _“I don’t want you doing this.” Kibum would say._

 __

 _“You can’t tell me what to do.” Would be Donghae’s reply._

 _“I don’t want you to get hurt.”_

 _“How do you think I’d feel just standing by watching you put yourself in danger?”_

Youngwoon huffed out a sigh. The melodrama raked at him and it just made his heart ache. It’s just the kind of conversation he could have with Jungsu if Jungsu were here with him and not in _there._

 

||

 

There were two security guards posted at the Tower’s entrance just like there was every day and every night. To the outside world, those who pass by the Tower unaware of what goes on inside, it wouldn’t appear that anything special was going on tonight. Youngwoon had no doubt that the security would be heavy inside, on the ground floor at least, That’s where the auction was being held, where the rich and elite of Seoul city would gather to do some dirty business. Youngwoon resisted the urge to spit on the ground in disgust as he got out of the car, Spitting wouldn’t be the proper thing for an elite businessman. The security guards looked him over with a professional interest as Youngwoon straightened up and smoothed out his suit. Youngwoon sucked in a breath and puffed out his chest and stalked towards the entrance like he was supposed to be there. Despite the heated night air a pool of nervous sweat collected around the collar of his shirt.

Kibum fell into step behind him, Donghae drove away to meet up with Heechul. Youngwoon almost wanted to turn around and run. Sometimes he felt like such a fucking coward.

 __

 _Get in, Get Jungsu, get out._

Discretely, Youngwoon looked around him as he walked towards the imposing, glass double door entrance, looked for any sign of Siwon and Jongwoon as they brought Kyuhyun in. But the building stretched for almost a full city block and there was no way to see what was happening around back. Youngwoon nodded to the guards as he passed them and they moved forward as if to intercept him. What they wanted was the invitation that would grant Youngwoon entrance to the auction. Youngwoon held up a hand and brushed by them with an air of authority that Youngwoon didn’t realize he could project and it was Kibum that stepped forward to hand the guards the gilded card. Satisfied the guards moved back to their sentry positions, waiting for the next guests to arrive. Youngwoon had no idea where Heechul had gotten the invitation from and jut like the car, Youngwoon thought it best not to ask.

Just as Youngwoon had thought, security inside the main foyer was tight. Not only was the room full of Tower security but there were also Bodyguards and private security. Government officials stood around with their trophy wives and entourages and waited for the main even to begin. It looked like most of the Tower security was concentrated on this floor and probably the floor above hopefully leaving the upper floors with only limited patrols.

Kibum stood close to him as they walked through the milling crowd, Youngwoon almost wished he would step back and give him some space. The younger man might have been a little smaller than him but he was intimidating and Youngwoon was sure that Kibum would be able to tell that Youngwoon was shaking. As they crossed from the main foyer into the maze of corridors that would take them to the auction room Youngwoon’s world seemed to close in on itself. He viewed everything as if from a distance yet the walls felt close, too close. His heart thudded in his chest, his breath caught in his throat. He could hear Kibum walking with careful steps behind him and Youngwoon walked just a little bit faster.

Youngwoon looked at the crowd of people crushed into the auction room. It was a surprisingly small space if you consider the scale of the rest of the building. There was a stage and a catwalk and just enough seating for the bidders, all bodyguards would have to wait outside though there was a small space for some to stand at the back of the room. It was an uncomfortable room, seemingly designed to get the occupants to bid high and quickly and get out. Kibum grunted something that Youngwoon didn’t quite catch and went to take a stand by the door, Youngwoon took a seat in the centre of the little seating area. He eyed the potential bidders as they sat down, fat men in flattering suits. He wondered how many of them would try to bid on Jungsu, he wanted to kill them all. The men, and a few women, all took their leisurely time assembling, the air was filled with light conversations and forced laughter like today’s event was a natural and run of the mill meeting, like these people did this everyday. It made Youngwoon feel a little sick. Youngwoon thought that this kind of shit was only legal and constituted because the general public didn’t actually know about it. Those people too poor for the Government to actually care about but whose numbers could potentially overwhelm them. People like Youngwoon, or who Youngwoon used to be before, before all of this.

The bang of the auctioneer’s gavel sounded too loud. The sharp crack cut through the hushed conversation, it echoed around the now silent room. To Youngwoon it sounded like a gunshot. He sat with clenched fists through the first half of the auction. He sat and watched as boy after boy and girl was brought out. Some were dragged out on a leash¾not quite docile, some followed meekly after their handlers and stood staring out at the crowd with vacant eyes.

And then Jungsu was brought out and Youngwoon was sure that his heart stopped.

Jungsu looked well, physically fit like the rest of the bots. He looked well cared for just like the rest of them. He wore loose fitting, white cotton pants and a leather collar of the same colour, he wore nothing else. Barefoot he padded obediently after his handler, his head bowed, his hands clasped in front of him. He didn’t look out at the crowd, he didn’t even lift his head up until his handler placed a finger under his chin and pushed his face upwards so people could see him. A murmur fluttered through the crowd, Youngwoon was only vaguely aware that the auction had started. He heard the shuffle of people lifting the numbered auction paddles they had been given, he heard hushed whispers and low noises of approval but Youngwoon couldn’t move, couldn’t raise his own paddle. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t talk, he couldn’t think, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from Jungsu’s dark and empty eyes. Jungsu looked out at the crowd but Youngwoon didn’t think that Jungsu was even aware that there was anyone else there.

He heard a sharp cough from somewhere behind him. Kibum. Youngwoon managed to raise his auction paddle but it was a struggle, his arm felt heavy, a lead weight. He had no idea what the bid was at now, but it didn’t matter, nothing mattered but Jungsu. The auctioneers voice was nothing but a blur of sound, Youngwoon couldn’t even begin to understand what he was saying, he just raised his paddle when he thought he should and when he heard Kibum’s pointed cough. At one point during the auction Youngwoon was sure that Jungsu looked his way, but there wasn’t even a flicker of recognition. There wasn’t a flicker of anything in those eyes.

He didn’t realize when Jungsu’s part of the auction was over, he just sat there and watched as Jungsu walked obediently off the little catwalk. It wasn’t until he felt Kibum’s firm had on his shoulder, urging him to stand up, did he know that it was time to go. Youngwoon blinked and looked around, half the men and woman that had been sitting with him had left and Youngwoon just hadn‘t noticed. Either they had gone to collect their prizes or they had run out of money, he didn’t care which.

“Hey!” Kibum hissed at him. “Get your shit together, you won him so lets go.”

Youngwoon stumbled along with Kibum half pushing him, half pulling him towards the door at the back of the room. The door that would lead to Jungsu. His hands stared to shake again and he knew that he was going to have to get himself together or he wasn’t going to be able to shoot straight once the shooting started.

Jungsu. Oh god, _Jungsu_.

Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck and Youngwoon had that terrible, terrible thought again. The one that had plagued him for the passed year. That thought that maybe he was already too late.

The room Kibum pushed him into was larger than the main auction room. It was warmer, more welcoming. Soft light, much like the romantic glow of candles, flickered from lights fixed to the walls, bathing the room in a reddish hue. There were large, comfortable looking leather chairs and piles of plush cushions dotted around the room. The chairs were largely occupied by the auction attendees, sitting primly while they waited for their purchases to be processed. A few bots lounged on the piles of cushions, staring passively at nothing. Just looking at them made Youngwoon feel cold.

Jungsu stood off to one side surrounded by a small knot of people. Jungsu’s handler stood between Jungsu and the group of admirers, people who could look at him but not touch. They didn’t buy him. Jungsu’s handler was a scrawny excuse for a man, whip thin and tall. Still, he had an essence of smallness about him. It was the way he hunched over, the way he grinned out at the crowd, the way he leered back at Jungsu. Youngwoon wanted to rip his face off.

Kibum had to hold him back. Kibum might have been smaller than him but fuck he was strong. Kibum got a good grip of his arm and pulled him backwards. Youngwoon hadn’t even been aware had had started forward. His vision was blurred and all he saw was red. He was going to kill that fucker, he was going to rip off his dick and make him choke on it.

“Calm the fuck down.” Kibum hissed in his ear. A harsh noise that Youngwoon only half heard. The grip Kibum had on his arm was starting to hurt now. Youngwoon was going to kill Kibum too if the little shit didn’t let go. “Calm the fuck down.” Kibum said again, he spoke slower this time, and this time Youngwoon heard him.

Youngwoon took a deep breath to calm himself down, it didn’t work. He took another, and another, he looked at Kibum, he looked at Jungsu and slowly, slowly he felt himself calm.

“You good?” Kibum asked, his voice a harsh whisper in Youngwoon’s ear. Youngwoon just nodded, not trusting himself to speak. “Good. I’m going over there to talk to the accountant. Try not to kill anyone before you get the signal.”

Wait, there was a huge flaw in the plan. Youngwoon wasn’t told about any signal, more to the point he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to know when the main server was brought down. He tried to voice this concern to Kibum, but his voice was raw with anger and the words were only croaked out. Kibum still understood him though. Kibum chuckled, a low, almost eerie laugh.

“Oh, you’ll know.” He said and then he was gone. He went off to talk about a payment that they weren’t actually going to make, leaving Youngwoon to look over Jungsu like he was a piece of meat. like he wasn’t the most important thing in the world.

Jungsu’s handler smirked at him as Youngwoon stalked over.

“A fine purchase, Sir.” The handler said, his voice dripping a smarmy sincerity that made Youngwoon’s eyes twitch. “I’m sure you will be very pleased, would you like to look him over?” The handler stepped to one side and gestured for Youngwoon to go ahead, to look, to touch. Youngwoon didn’t want to, he didn’t want to go and poke and prod, he didn’t want to touch Jungsu the way he was now. It felt wrong. It felt too much like taking advantage…no, it was exactly like taking advantage. Jungsu couldn’t say no, wouldn’t say no. Jungsu wouldn’t slap his hand away and smile that dimpled smile of his. Jungsu wouldn’t laugh if Youngwoon were to touch that sensitive spot on his neck, the one that never failed to make Jungsu shiver in delight.

 _Oh god_. Youngwoon wasn’t going to cry, he wasn’t.

The handler’s expression took on a patronising lilt and he sneered at Youngwoon like he thought Youngwoon was touched in the head. Youngwoon took a deep breath, and another one. He could do this, he could. He coughed, cleared his throat and took one step forward and then another and then another, walking was easy once he remembered how. And then he was standing in front of Jungsu. Youngwoon reached out a faltering hand and tucked a stray lock of hair behind Jungsu’s ear. A gentle, tender touch. Jungsu’s hair was soft and fashionably cut. Whoever had styled him had dyed his hair brown, it had been a honey blonde before. Not his natural colour but it had suited him, Youngwoon had always liked it.

A sudden hand on his shoulder made him start and he cursed under his breath, embarrassed.

“Something’s wrong.” Kibum said. Yeah, this whole situation was wrong. Kibum hadn’t been long with the accountant, Youngwoon didn’t know if that was a bad sign or not. Youngwoon turned around to look at Kibum, out of the corner of his eye Youngwoon could see the handler, hovering, looking almost like he was waiting to snatch Jungsu back from him. Concern marred Kibum’s expression, Youngwoon’s heart dropped into his stomach.

“What is it?” Youngwoon asked, he pitched his voice low so that the handler wouldn’t over hear, but the awful mad leaned in closer to them, his expression eager.

“It should have happened by now.” Kibum’s voice sounded strained, worried. Shit.

“Is there a problem, Sirs’?” The handler asked, stepping forward, his hands raised in a placating gesture.

“No.” Kibum said firmly. He grabbed hold of Youngwoon’s arm and pulled him away. Youngwoon didn’t want to go too far from Jungsu so he dug in his heals and jerked out of Kibum’s grip.

“What the fuck are you talking about? It should have happened by now? _What_ should have happened by now?”

Kibum shrugged. A jerky, helpless little motion that looked wrong coming from Kibum, Kibum who was usually so calmly confident.

“Kyuhyun’s virus.” Kibum said. “It should have taken hold by now, I don’t know what’s going on up there but if all went to plan then Kyuhyun’s virus should have overloaded the main process server and…”

There was a bot lying on the mound of cushions piled next to them. A girl, she had to be no more than eighteen years old, Youngwoon had noticed her when he’d come in, but only because he’d almost tripped over her. He’d dismissed her almost instantly because she wasn’t Jungsu. He paid attention to her now, though. She started to cry. At first it was a low keening that grew to a wail. Youngwoon could only stare at her, unsure of what to do. She sounded like she was in pain. Other bots around her started to cry, to keen, to wail, to sob. Youngwoon looked at Jungsu, fear stole his breath as Jungsu brought his hands up to his ears and screamed.

“Huh.” Kibum huffed. “False alarm. It’s working now.”

“What’s happening to them?”

“They’re waking up.”

The noise was painful. Worst of all was listening to Jungsu screaming. Youngwoon crossed back to him in just a few steps, he moved to grab Jungsu’s arms, to pull Jungsu to him. The handler tried to intercept him and so Youngwoon took this opportunity to kick the fucker in the balls. The handler fell to his knees, the perfect position for Youngwoon to knee him in the face. The handler went down and he didn’t get up. Youngwoon pulled Jungsu to him, Jungsu didn’t resist but he didn’t stop screaming either. He trembled in Youngwoon’s arms and he screamed and screamed until his voice was raw and the endless cry came out as only a hiss.

Youngwoon fumbled in his shirt, tried to reach for his concealed gun without jostling Jungsu too much. His fingers curled around the cool metal of the barrel and he pulled it out and fired twice. Downing two bodyguards before they could get within reach of them. Youngwoon didn’t know if they were Tower security or some rich shit’s private guard. He didn’t care. He held the gun up and steady, daring anyone else to try and take him, to try and take Jungsu from him. People were running, people were screaming and Kibum was in the middle of the melee, knives out, blood dripping from the blades.

Shit, the guy was scary.

“Youngwoon!” Kibum called out. “It’s time to go.”

Kibum slipped one of his knives into a sheath on his belt, freeing up one of his hands. He reached down gripped the arm of the crying girl, hauling her up from her bed of pillows. Kibum pushed the girl forward, she stumbled, looking around herself in wide eyed fright.

“Run.” Kibum ordered. The girl whimpered then took off running for the door.

Youngwoon’s world was in chaos, the only thing that felt remotely real was the warm body quivering in his arms. Jungsu had stopped screaming now and for that Youngwoon would be forever grateful. The room was starting to clear, the newly awakened bots were starting to calm down, but some still sat shuddering and crying, some stared into space like nothing was happening. The Tower security were either dead or running to find the security breach. The private security and bodyguards were more concerned with getting their charges out and they hustled out of the room, out of the Tower, leaving their purchases behind. Kibum started shoving the abandoned bots towards the exit, Youngwoon followed behind, carefully pulling Jungsu along with him.

“We have to find the others.” Kibum called out. Kibum was clear across the small auction room before Youngwoon had cleared the door and the younger man was off through the exit door and down the cramped corridor. Youngwoon had no hope of catching up to him, not without forcibly dragging Jungsu along. He caught a fleeting look at Kibum’s back just as he turned a corner, Kibum had his phone pressed to his ear and Youngwoon assumed (hoped) he was calling Donghae to come and get them. Youngwoon remembered Donghae’s determined wish to get all the bots out of the Tower, not just their friends-but Youngwoon had no idea how they were going to do that. Youngwoon held Jungsu tighter, he’d got what he’d come for.

Youngwoon found Kibum in the main lobby, he’d been joined by Siwon and the two of them were engaged in a knock down, drag out fight with half of Tower security. Youngwoon looked around, he didn’t see any sign of Kyuhyun or Jongwoon.

“Where are they?” Youngwoon called out, he didn’t have to say who he was looking for.

No one answered him, they didn’t need to. There was a shout from the main entrance and Donghae fought his way through the retreating crowd to get to them. Two security goons broke of from the fight to attack him but with a few lightning quick punches Donghae downed the both of them.

“Donghae, get out of here. You‘re supposed to wait at the delivery entrance.” Kibum shouted, Donghae just flipped him off. “Shit.” Kibum cursed as he slashed at another guard. Pushing the body away from him he grabbed hold of Donghae’s hand and took off running. “Go, go, go.” He shouted and Youngwoon made to follow, to run almost back the way he had come. The delivery entrance was at the back of the building, it was next to the way that Siwon and Jongwoon had brought Kyuhyun in. The delivery entrance was located on the basement floor, the stairwell that would lead down to that floor was next to the auction room and that’s where Youngwoon tried to head. Jungsu tripped, stumbled and went down. Youngwoon still had his arms around Jungsu’s waist, he wasn’t expecting the sudden fall and he hit the floor along with Jungsu. Jungsu whimpered and curled in on himself, one hand went out to clutch at the lapel of Youngwoon’s suit coat. The touch was exploratory, unsure. Trembling, slender fingers gripped at the soft material, Jungsu squinted his eyes in confusion, like he wasn’t sure what he was seeing. Jungsu blinked, shook his head, looked up, looked at Youngwoon.

“Youngwoon?” He mouthed, his voice a barely there whisper.

“Oh god.” Youngwoon felt his breath coming in short gasps, his hands, his whole body began to shake with relief. “Jungsu.”

“Youngwoon? What’s going on?”

Youngwoon opened his mouth to answer, but he wasn’t sure what to say. How was he supposed to explain this now, they were supposed to be escaping.

“Hi.” Kibum said with a tight smile, he gripped Jungsu under the arm and hauled him up. Siwon gripped Youngwoon’s shoulder and pulled him up as well. “Jungsu, right?” Jungsu nodded, the motion was jerky and awkward. “Welcome back, we have to go now.” Then Kibum was off and running, Youngwoon grabbed Jungsu’s arm and followed. It wasn’t until he’d reached the stairwell that he noticed that Siwon hadn’t followed with them. He stopped and turned, Jungsu pressed close to him. He looked down the corridor but saw nothing. He knew he should keep going, he had to get Jungsu out of here, it was what he’d come to do, it was all he came to do. He looked at Jungsu, looked into his confused and terrified eyes and he knew that Jungsu would never forgive him if he just left the rest of them behind. Youngwoon faltered, he didn’t know what he should do, he couldn’t go back there and take Jungsu with him and he couldn’t leave Jungsu behind on his own. Jungsu was still half out of it, scared, confused. Youngwoon couldn’t leave him, didn’t want to.

He heard the sound of running feet coming from somewhere just out of sight. The corridor was long with many turns, this whole place was one fucking maze, he couldn’t see who was coming. Fearful of it being more guards trying to stop them Youngwoon pushed Jungsu behind him, pulled out his gun stood ready to face whoever was coming for them. It was Jongwoon and Kyuhyun. They had three men with them, though they were more like boys to Youngwoon. Youngwoon recognized one of them as Sungmin. Youngwoon had only met him briefly before Sungmin had been caught and pressed into bot service and had become their spy in the Tower. One of the remaining two had to be Ryeowook, whom Youngwoon had never met. Youngwoon guessed that Ryeowook was the one being pulled along in Jongwoon’s wake. The Third man with them was clinging to Kyuhyun like he was a lifeline, he was awkwardly tall and stumbled as he tried to keep up. Coming up fast behind them was a group of young men and women. They were running haphazardly, arms flailing, they had the lost look of sheep being herded and sure enough there was Siwon running behind them, urging them forward.

Shit, there was a lot of them. All they had for transport was Heechul’s van and the car. Both were a good size but there wasn’t going to be enough room for everyone if they took all of these newly awakened bots with them.

“Go.” Siwon ordered when he reached them, he urged everyone through the stairwell doors and down to the delivery entrance.

 

||

 

Youngwoon should have known that between them Kibum and Donghae would have it covered. Even now, even amidst the battle chaos Youngwoon didn’t fully trust them, probably because he didn’t fully trust himself.

There was a Tower transport vehicle running and ready to go. Youngwoon thought that someone-probably Kibum-had hotwired it, transport vehicles needed a special key that only the Transport guards had and Youngwoon hadn’t’ seen any Transport guards. That worried him. The glorified truck idled at the loading bay, it’s giant doors yawned open and Kibum started hustling people inside. Jongwoon and Ryeowook went in quickly, Siwon had to take Sungmin’s hand and guide him in. Kid was skittish, almost afraid to take those final steps to freedom, like he didn’t really believe this was happening. Kyuhyun had the most trouble getting into the vehicle, his newly acquired charge seemed reluctant to let go of Kyuhyun’s arm so they had to scramble up the metal steps together in a collection of ungainly limbs.

Youngwoon hesitated. Kibum saw him, watched him from his position next to the open doors and he nodded grimly, his hands sliding down towards the knives sheathed on his belt. Youngwoon knew that Kibum understood his hesitation. This was too easy.

“Let’s get out of here, quickly.” Kibum said and Youngwoon jerked his head in the affirmative.

He couldn’t see Donghae, he must be up front in the truck’s cab. Youngwoon could see by the clenched expression on Kibum’s face that he didn’t like having Donghae so far out of his sight. Youngwoon stood back from the group while Kibum finished loading the freed bots onto the truck, he stood there holding Jungsu. Jungsu smelled like soap and sweat and fear, it stirred something deep in Youngwoon’s gut, a primal, dangerous feeling. It made Youngwoon want to go back and kill anyone who had even thought about touching what was his.

“Youngwoon?” Jungsu said, his voice quiet and unsure. “What’s going on.”

“I came to get you.” Youngwoon said, whispered the words in Jungsu’s ear. “I promised I would. I’m sorry it took so long.”

Jungsu pulled away from him, expression tight. His eyes crinkled in confusion and he seemed to shrink in on himself, pulling away from Youngwoon and looking at his hands.

“I…it was.” Jungsu started to say but his words faltered and faded, he looked down at hands again and then away, looked off to the side, looked of at something Youngwoon couldn’t see. Jungsu started to shake and Youngwoon was suddenly very aware that Jungsu wasn’t wearing very much of anything at all. He slipped off his jacket, wrapped it around Jungsu’s shoulders, Jungsu leaned into it’s warmth. It was far too big, it enveloped Jungsu making him look small and frail, two things Youngwoon knew that Jungsu wasn’t. “I remember all of it.” Jungsu said, his voice was small. Youngwoon didn’t think he wanted to hear this, wasn’t sure that he could keep control of himself if Jungsu told him this. “I waited for you.”

Youngwoon wanted to pull him close, hold him, hold him tight. Fuck the world it could burn down around them, Youngwoon didn’t care.

“Youngwoon!” He heard Kibum call out to him a split second too late. “Get down.”

Time slowed, Youngwoon spun his hands reaching out to push Jungsu down. He didn’t hear the shot but he felt the bullet as it slammed into him, a familiar burning pain. He’d been shot before, it wasn’t fun.

“Shit.” Youngwoon heard Kibum say, but the sound was dulled through his haze of pain, Kibum’s voice sounded muffled and far away. “Fucking perfect.” Kibum grumbled. Youngwoon felt strong hands pull him up, he felt Jungsu clutch at his arm, not really helping to get him up and to the truck but not hindering either. Youngwoon was unceremoniously shoved into the back of the truck, the movement jostled his wounded leg and he groaned, his face mashed into the cold metal floor. Someone else pulled him further inside, he felt hands on his leg staunching the flow of blood with something that felt soft but scratchy, Youngwoon thought it might have been the jacket he’d just given Jungsu.

“Youngwoon.” Jungsu was kneeling close to him, he clutched his hand in a tight grip that almost hurt. “Youngwoon, stay with me, don’t leave me. Not now.”

Youngwoon tried to stay awake, he really did, but the world around him fuzzed out and faded to black.

 

||

 

He came too feeling like he’d been shot in the chest instead of the leg. He couldn’t breathe, a heavy weight rested on his chest and Youngwoon tried to push it off, push it away. The weight groaned and batted at his hand.

“Jungsu?” Youngwoon mumbled, he tried to push himself up but didn’t get to move far with Jungsu lying on him the way he was. Moving hurt. Moving hurt a lot. His leg felt like it was on fire, he shifted slightly, tried to accommodate Jungsu’s weight. He hissed in pain when that small movement jolted his leg.

“Ahh, sleeping beauty is awake.” Heechul said. Youngwoon opened his eyes when Heechul pressed a cup into his hand. The cup was warm, the liquid inside was hot, he had no idea what it was but he drank it when Heechul told him to. He set the cup aside when it was empty, the drink felt good as it went down, it didn’t taste that bad and Youngwoon felt better for having drunk something.

Wait, Heechul…?

Youngwoon looked around, he was still in the Tower’s transport vehicle. Now that he was aware of his surroundings he could feel the truck moving, it wasn’t a smooth ride. If he was still in the truck where the hell did Heechul come from? He should be in his van.

“What?” Youngwoon murmured, he tried to push himself up again but Jungsu who was slumped against him protested again, but this time Jungsu shifted his weight off Youngwoon, allowing him to sit up properly.

“How are you feeling?” Heechul asked him.

Youngwoon only grunted. He felt like he’d been shot but he didn’t feel the need to say that, his words would only come out as uncharitable and sarcastic. Instead he said,

“What are you doing here?”

“Lovely to see you too asshole.” Heechul shot back and he walked back up the truck to where Siwon and Sungmin lay curled together. Heechul stood over them for a moment, an unreadable expression on his face, then he turned away, looked back at Youngwoon. “We have to ditch this truck before we head back to base.” Heechul gestured to Youngwoon’s injured leg. “The bullet just grazed you, do you think you’ll be able to walk?”

Youngwoon nodded, he pulled Jungsu to him, relishing the feel of Jungsu in his arms knowing that they were heading away from the Tower and towards…he didn’t know.

Get in, get Jungsu, get out.

He’d done that, he’d done it. He just didn’t know what he was going to do now.

The truck was packed with people, there were more bots then Youngwoon had first thought and now they were all crammed into this small space. Jongwoon and Ryeowook sat together, arms wrapped around each other. Jongwoon looked more at peace than Youngwoon had ever seen him. There was no sign of Kibum among the crowd, Youngwoon figured that he must still be up front with Donghae. Kyuhyun sat opposite him, a small smile on his face. His new charge, the guy that refused to leave Kyuhyun’s side was nestled against him, his face pressed into the curve of Kyuhyun’s shoulder. Youngwoon had to smile, Kyuhyun’s new friend looked to be drooling.

“What happened?” Youngwoon asked Heechul, but it was Jongwoon that answered.

“You were shot by the guards. We got you into the truck and booked it out of there. They followed for a while but then we lost them.”

“We didn’t lose them.” Heechul said irritably. “They stopped following. This thing probably has a tracking device on it hence the ditching of it as soon as we can.” Heechul turned back to Youngwoon. “We’ll be dropping off the bots in about five minutes, Yunho and Jaejoong are taking half, Hongki is taking the other half. Ryeowook, Sungmin are coming with us. Do I even need to ask you if you are going to…” Heechul let the rest of his question trail off, he gestured to Jungsu and Youngwoon understood. Youngwoon glared at him and held Jungsu tighter. “Of course, the more the merrier.” He gave Youngwoon a tight smile and settled himself down next to Siwon. Siwon put an arm around Heechul’s shoulders, kissed his hair. Heechul closed his eyes and leaned briefly into the touch.

“Who’s your new friend?” Youngwoon asked Kyuhyun, Kyuhyun just shrugged.

“No idea, I don’t think he even speaks Korean all that well. Heechul said I could keep him if I wanted, I’m not sure if he was joking or not.” Kyuhyun frowned a little and looked down at the man drooling all over his shoulder.

From the way that the guy was draped all over Kyuhyun, Youngwoon didn’t think that the kid would have any choice in the matter. Kyuhyun reached out and scratched at the back of his neck.

“Stop that.” Youngwoon warned, he made to reach out and slap Kyuhyun’s hand away, an instinctive motion. But Kyuhyun was too far away and Jungsu was too warm against him. He didn’t want to move, his leg hurt, his head hurt, he wanted to back to sleep.

“It won’t take them long to get the main server back online.” Heechul said. “We’ve freed some of the Tower’s victims but there will be more soon, sooner than we’d like to think.”

There was silence. Youngwoon really hadn’t given any thought at all to what he was going to do once he’d got Jungsu back. It was like he’d had blinders on to anything else, to any other possibility. And now…

And now?

“So what do we do now?” Jongwoon asked.

Heechul shrugged, he looked at Youngwoon, he looked determined.

“We go to ground, we recover and then we do this all again.”

Youngwoon nodded. Jungsu was warm, someone had given him a shirt, some warmer pants. It felt good to hold him again. Youngwoon looked down at his leg, it had been crudely bandaged with Youngwoon’s jacket-he’d been right then. It had been shredded into pieces and wrapped around the wound. Youngwoon looked at Jungsu and he smiled. He knew that he could do anything if Jungsu was with him, anything at all.

 

.end


End file.
